Light transmitting signal strip on road

ABSTRACT

A light transmitting plastic strip or ribbon employed in a system for guiding and/or signalling highway vehicular traffic, people walking in caves, people working in mines and people engaged in various activities where it is desirable to signal them or guide from a remote location. The light transmitting plastic is illuminated by the use of white and/or colored lights in a continuous or intermittent manner so that a desired signal or other information may be transmitted along the plastic strip or ribbon.

United States Patent Frank A. Grosz 2310 Jolie! St., New Orleans, La.70118 [21 1 Appl. No. 827,205

[22] Filed May 23, 1969 [45] Patented June 15, 1971 72] Inventor [54]LIGHT TRANSMITTING SIGNAL STRIP 0N ROAD 7 Claims, 6'Drawing Figs.

[52] US. (I 340/114, 340/114, 340/117, 340/321 [51] int. Cl G08b 5/00[50] Field oISearch 340/380,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,486,998 11/1949 Szeklinski340/321 2,692,921 l0/l954 Goff: 340/380 X 2,848,597 8/1958 Knotterus...340/117 X 3,153,773 10/1964 Wood 340/380 X 3,273,115 9/1966 Lafon340/117 Primary Examiner-Harold l. Pitts Attorneys-Clarence A. O'Brienand Harvey B. Jacobson ABSTRACT: A light transmitting plastic strip orribbon employed in a system for guiding and/or signalling highwayvehicular traffic, people walking in caves, people working in mines andpeople engaged in various activities where it is desirable to signalthem or guide from a remote location. The light transmitting plastic isilluminated by the use of white and/or colored lights in a continuous orintermittent manner so that a desired signal or other information may betransmitted along the plastic strip or ribbon.

PATENIED JUN? 5 :sn

SHEET 1 BF 2 7IIIIIIIIjI/lIIIII/ll/IIIIIII/III/.ZIIIIL LIGHTTRANSMITTING SIGNAL STRIP ON ROAD The present invention generallyrelates to a system for guiding and/or signalling people by employing alight transmitting plastic strip or ribbon oriented along highways, incaves, mines or any other areas where people may require guiding and/orsignalling from a remote position.

An object of the invention is to provide a light transmitting plasticstrip or ribbon illuminated by a continuous or intermittent white orcolored light or any combination thereof to enable the strip or ribbonto be employed as a guide or signal device for persons observing thestrip or ribbon at locations remote from the location of the source ofillumination for the strip or ribbon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a strip or ribbonin accordance with the preceding objects which may be employed inassociation with highways to guide or signal operators or vehicles, incaves to guide or signal people walking therein, in mines for guiding orsignalling people working therein or in other areas or locationsoccupied by people in which it may be necessary as a routine matter orduring an emergency to guide or signal such persons from a remotelocation with the construction of the strip or ribbon being such that itwill retain its continuity and light transmitting characteristics forextended periods of time and under various adverse conditions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lighttransmitting plastic strip or ribbon which is quite simple inconstruction, easy to install in various locations and relativelyinexpensive in installation and maintenance.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a section of a roadway illustrating thelight transmitting strip or ribbon associated therewith and with thesource of illumination of the strip or ribbon illustrated alongside ofthe roadway.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the illumination source for thelight transmitting strip or ribbon taken along section line 2-2 of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 3-3 of FIG. 2 illustrating thestructure of the source of illumination including the structure forproviding various colored lights and controlling operation of thedevice.

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view of the roadway and plastic stripmounted thereon.

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 5-5 of FIG. 3 illustrating the light sourceand guide structure for varying the light characteristics of the sourceof illumination.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the controls for the source ofillumination.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the use of the inventionassociated with a roadway is specifically disclosed with it beingunderstood that other uses described hereinafter incorporate the basicprinciples of the guiding or signalling system. The roadway designatedby numeral 10 may be of any suitable and conventional construction andwill include longitudinal strips of ribbons 12 and transverse strips orribbons 14 of plastic material mounted on the upper surface thereof asillustrated in FIG. 4 with the strips 14 being secured to the roadwaysurface by any suitable bonding material 16 with the edges of theplastic strip 14 projecting above the roadway surface 10 with the edgesbeing designated by the numeral 18. Two of the plastic strips 14 extendlaterally of the roadway 10 through under or over a curbing 20 if one isprovided into the interior of a housing or enclosure 22 for associationwith a source of illumination generally designated by the numeral 24.

The housing 22 includes a bottom plate 26 supported on a supporting baseof concrete or the like 28 and secured thereto by any suitable fasteningmeans 30. The housing is also provided with a removable cover 32 securedin place by fasteners 34 to enable access to the interior of the housing22 and to the source of illumination 24 which is connected to a sourceof electrical energy through a conductor 36 to provide electrical energyto the source of illumination 24.

Supported within the interior of the housing 22 by a suitable bracketstructure 38 is, a drive motor 40 such as an electric motor connectedwith a source of electrical energy through conductor 42 and providedwith a depending output shaft 44. A collar or sleeve 46 is mounted onthe output shaft 44 and is secured thereto by a suitable lock bolt orsetscrew 48. Attached to the collar 46 and extending downwardly andoutwardly therefrom in diverging relation to form a skeleton of aninverted cone is a plurality of supporting straps or members 50 whichhave their lower and outer ends terminating in vertical depending ends52 which support a rotatable cylindrical curtain generally designated bynumeral 54 and which includes an upper channel 56 and a lower channel 58which face each other and which have a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced members 60 received therebetween with the spaces between themembers 60 being open as indicated by numeral 62 thus providing arotatable cylinder having certain areas thereof open and certain areasthereof covered by the curtain members 60. v

Disposed interiorly of and concentric with the interrupter curtain 54 isa cylindrical plastic strip or ribbon 64 which is continuous with andjoined to the two adjacent lateral or transverse strips 14 which extendinto the housing 22 and upwardly through the base plate 26 with the twostrips 14 connected with the spaced ends of the cylindrical plasticstrip or ribbon 64 as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the plastic strip orribbon 64 spaced inwardly of and concentrically of the inter ruptercurtain 54.

Positioned radially outwardly of the interrupter curtain 54 atcircumferentially spaced points is a plurality of light assembliesgenerally designated by the numeral 66 with each light assemblyincluding a mounting bracket 68, a bulb socket 70 and a light bulb 72.The bracket 68 includes an outwardly tapering shield or reflector 74 forthe light bulb 72 for directing the light rays radially toward theinterrupter curtain 54. Each light assembly 66 also includes a switch 76so that any of the lights may be rendered operative or inoperative.

Positioned in front of each lamp 72 is a multiple lens holder thatincludes a longitudinally elongated slide or track 78 supported by asuitable bracket 80 and including a longitudinal undercut groove 82therein having a V-shaped bottom surface for slidably receiving acorrespondingly shaped base 84 of an elongated lens holder 86 thatincludes a plurality of upstanding members 88 supporting differentcolored lenses 90 with the members 88 having inwardly facing groovesreceiving the edges of the lenses 90. One of the lens receiving areas isleft blank to enable while light to pass therethrough with the otherlenses being colored a desired color to impart a color to the lighttransmitted through the interrupter curtain to the light transmittingplastic 64.

The device is controlled by a timer 92 associated with the source ofelectrical energy through the double-throw switch 94 so that the timermay be used or may be bypassed depending upon the individualinstallation involved. The timer 92 is connected with the electric powersource with a switch 96 to preclude its operation when the double-throwswitch 94 is in the position supplying electrical energy directly to themotor 40 and the lamps 72. The motor 40 is also provided with a speedcontrol device 98 by which the speed of the motor may be adjusted forsynchronization of the motor speeds in several illuminating stations orsources. If no rotation is desired and the motor is to be inoperative,then switch 99 can be opened.

The cross strips 14 may be located on the roadway one to two miles apartand the roadway may be provided with three longitudinal plastic strips12 with the cross strips being joined with the longitudinal strips inthe same plane and in abutting engagement to provide H-junctions withthe junctions thereof being preferably cemented together. This providesa crisscross network of plastic strip so that even in the event one ofthe plastic strips may become interrupted during normal use, the plasticstrips still will be interconnected due to the gridwork arrangement.Where the plastic strips extend through curbing or the like, they areencased in a protective sleeve or tube and the two adjacent cross strips14 at each illumination station will terminate in the cylindrical orU-shaped connector 64 thus providing parallel feeders for transmittingillumination to the various longitudinal and transverse strips orribbons.

lf only white light is desired, all of the lens holders are adjusted sothat the open area therein will be aligned with the lamp so that onlywhite light will impinge upon the plastic strip 64 and if theinterrupter curtain motor 40 is operative, the white light will beintermittent due to sequential occlusion of the white light by thesegmental curtain element 60. If a particular color of light is desired,the lens holder is correspondingly adjusted to bring the appropriatelycolored lens into registry with the light bulb so that light transmittedthrough the lens holder will impinge upon the plastic strip 64 ascolored light. Inasmuch as the illumination stations will be spaced atpredetermined intervals along the roadway, a speed control adjustment isprovided for the interrupter motor so that all of the illuminationstations or sources will be synchronized. Any suitable speed control maybe used such as a variable transformer or the like to adjust the outputspeed of the interrupter motors for synchronization of movement of thecurtains each of the illumination stations.

This system will provide a guiding or signalling strip of light eitherwhite or colored and either continuous or intermittent along highways,roadways and the like and may be used for warning and cautioningmotorists or signalling and guiding motorists to take certain actions orprecautions depending upon circumstances or conditions. For example, abrilliant red illuminated strip could mean that a danger exists becauseof an accident, hazardous conditions or the like while a brilliant ambercould mean the driver should proceed with caution while a green stripcould mean that driving within the posted speed limit is safe. Anothercolor light such as blue could be employed to indicate that allmotorists should pull off to the side of the highway and stop or providea passage for emergency vehicles or the like. The particular colorarrangement provided and the signals imparted thereby may vary but it isdesirable to retain the usual meaning for such lights as they presentlyexist in traffic control systems. The illumination source may becontrolled at a remote location or may be controlled from a preset timersuch as during periods of darkness or the like. For example, a person inradio or telephone communication with policemen, toll booth operatorsand the like on a toll highway or other persons normally patrollinghighways could immediately actuate the device upon receiving informationregarding hazardous conditions on a particular highway or a particulararea of the highway. The significance of various signals may bestandardized throughout the highway system and such informationdisseminated to the public by usual communications, printed material orthe like.

Another use for the present invention is in underground areas such ascaves or mines. Many tourists or visitors enter caves and travel onrelatively narrow and poorly lighted paths which frequently cause injuryand hazardous conditions inasmuch as the walking surfaces are sometimesdamp and slippery.

By providing two strips of ribbons of light, such as a green ribbon anda red ribbon, tourists or visitors could be guided along the path ofsafe footing and direction with the red ribbons of illuminated lightindicating a danger spot or an area to use extreme caution or avoid it.Both ribbons of light could be made to glow steadily or intermittentlyto further accentuate their utility by attracting attention thereto.

Similarly, workmen laboring in mines could be guided and cautioned bysuch green and red ribbons of light. Mines frequently have accumulationsof coal gas or the like and a red illuminated strip could cautionworkers against entering or working in that particular area. The ribbonwould function safely because it is a cold illumination with no heatinvolved and is not produced electrically at the underground locationand thus produces no sparks whatsoever. The plastic light transmittingribbons or strips could be oriented in various arrangements andpositioned over, around or through obstructions and is constructed ofnoncorrosive material having resistance to any chemical action of theminerals, such as coal, metal ores or the like and would remainserviceable even at relatively high temperatures. For example, theplastic strips could be employed in salt mines without problems inasmuchas the strips would be resistant to corrosive action of the salt whichdeteriorates presently employed electrical lighting systems. A whitelighted ribbon could be employed in various areas as a guiding line anda blue lighted ribbon could be used for sending messages to or fromentrapped miners or the like so that information could be sent to theminers or the miners could send information relating to their location,condition, and the like. This of course, would require that the minershave a source of illumination such as a light so that the lighttransmitting plastic strip could be illuminated from an undergroundposition and observed by persons above ground or the like. Such a devicecould be a battery operated lamp with a slotted space or holder in frontof it to receive a colored lens where color is desired and ahand-operated shutter could be provided to produce intermittentillumination by which Morse code could be transmitted.

In the case of entrapped miners, the multiple lens holder would be ofsubstantial benefit in definitely pinpointing the exact location whereminers may be entrapped. By having various lenses arranged in aparticular sequence at different locations under ground, the entrappedminers could actuate the illuminating device and gradually push the lensholder in front of the light beam and persons at ground level could seethe different colors and their sequence and thus determine the locationof the particular illumination means by virtue of the particularsequence being previously oriented in a particular position in the mine.For example, a chart in the mine office would indicate the position ofthe source of illumination having that particular sequence of colors andthus enable the precise location of the miners to be determined. Oncethe location of the miners is known, the rescue operation may be moreeffectively undertaken and temporary measures may be provided forproviding the miners with food, water and the like. Also, the persons atground level could return the same color sequence back to the entrappedminers in the same manner so that the entrapped miners would know thathelp is on the way and that rescuers know where they are. By employing ablinker or shutter arrangement, Morse code could be transmitted toenable specific messages to be transmitted to and from entrapped miners.Various procedures may be worked out for transmitting messages either byusing a predetermined color sequence code or by employing a standardcode such as the Morse code.

To insure the maximum use of the plastic strips between the ground levelstation and any and all lamps throughout the entire mine, the ribbons orstrips of plastic may be interconnected in the form of a network so thateven though one or more strips may be broken in the event of a cave-inor the like the remaining plastic ribbon network system would still beusable.

The light transmitting plastic strips of ribbons may be permanentlyilluminated, temporarily illuminated or intermittently illuminated. Byhaving multiple illumination stations located at reasonable distancesapart, the light energy output of one station would boost the lightenergy output of adjacent stations thus providing substantially aconstant illumination factor throughout the length of the strips. Thestrips would be all the same color from station to station if the samecondition extended over a long distance. By employing the various colorstransmitted as constant or intermittent illumination, an

effective guiding and/or signalling system is provided for various usesincluding the uses specifically described herein and other uses as maybecome obvious.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only ofthe principles of theinvention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation show n anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What I claim as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a roadway, an assembly for guiding or signallingpeople from a remote location comprising a light transmitting plasticstrip having a first portion on the roadway and a second portion remotefrom the roadway and means adjacent said second portion and remote fromthe roadway for illuminating the plastic strip with the light beingtransmitted along the plastic strip to be observed by people at anypoint along said second portion.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means forilluminating the plastic strip includes means for intermittentlyilluminating the strip to provide an intermittent guide or signal to thepeople observing the strip, said means for intermittently illuminatingthe plastic strip including a light bulb directed toward the plasticstrip, and a movable curtain having sequential areas thereof opaque andtransparent for movement between the light and plastic strip forintermittently illuminating the strip.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable curtain iscylindrical.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said plastic stripincludes an arcuate portion disposed interiorly of the curtain insubstantially concentric relation thereto.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 together with an elongated lensholder disposed between the light bulb and curtain, means supporting theholder for longitudinal adjustment in relation to the light bulb, and aplurality of transparent colored lenses in said holder to producevarious colored lights on the plastic strip.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5 together with motor means formoving said movable curtain with respect to said light bulb.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said means supporting theholder includes an elongated slot, and said lens holder includes anextended portion slidably engaged in said elongated slot to producevarious colored lights on the plastic strip.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,585,585 Dated June 15, 1971 Inven Frank A. Grosz It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, line 8, change "second" to --first--.

Signed and sealed this 1 th day of January 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCI-IER, JR. ROBERT GOITSCHALK Attesting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents FORM 0459) USCOMM-DC scan-ps9 U 5 GOVERNMENTPRIHTlNG CFFICE 19.9 0-365-33

1. In combination with a roadway, an assembly for guiding or signallingpeople from a remote location comprising a light transmitting plasticstrip having a first portion on the roadway and a second portion remotefrom the roadway and means adjacent said second portion and remote fromthe roadway for illuminating the plastic strip with the light beingtransmitted along the plastic strip to be observed by people at anypoint along said second portion.
 2. The structure as defined in claim 1wherein said means for illuminating the plastic strip includes means forintermittently illuminating the strip to provide an intermittent guideor signal to the people observing the strip, said means forintermittently illuminating the plastic strip including a light bulbdirected toward the plastic strip, and a movable curtain havingsequential areas thereof opaque and transparent for movement between thelight and plastic strip for intermittently illuminating the strip. 3.The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said movable curtain iscylindrical.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said plasticstrip includes an arcuate portion disposed interiorly of the curtain insubstantially concentric relation thereto.
 5. The structure as definedin claim 4 together with an elongated lens holder disposed between thelight bulb and curtAin, means supporting the holder for longitudinaladjustment in relation to the light bulb, and a plurality of transparentcolored lenses in said holder to produce various colored lights on theplastic strip.
 6. The structure as defined in claim 5 together withmotor means for moving said movable curtain with respect to said lightbulb.
 7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said meanssupporting the holder includes an elongated slot, and said lens holderincludes an extended portion slidably engaged in said elongated slot toproduce various colored lights on the plastic strip.